Feeler mechanism for looms



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

lnverzwt brfl aac W I. SNOW.

FEELER MkCHANISM FOR LOOMS.

man FEB 25 1922 Feb. 20, 1923.

l. SNOW.

FE ELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

FILED FEB 25 I922 WW 6%. mm

Feb. 2U, 1923.,

Fetehted 33h, i

rs/exec SNOW, or LAWRENCE, mess ctrusierrs, Aeetertee TO theme CORPORATION; it oettoicenetu, meeeeotrushrwe, A CORPURA-WION or Meme.

FEELER MEcHemsttFoh-toetas; t

Afipiieation flied Februaly e5, 1922. Serial No. 539,140.

r i To all who/7t may" concem:

Belt known that IsAAohltnjnV, e citizeli of the United States, and resident ol Lewrence, iii the eounty of Essex and Stete ot hlessechusettgfhes invented e11 improve- 1 n lent in eelelfMechanisms tor Leonie, of which the following descrlptiom in conne C1011 wlth the accorhpehymg"dreu mgs 1S 2L -specific'ition, like characters ou. the drzmw mes representing like parts;

This invention relates to leeler mechamsrns for looms wherein e change 111 the operetionof tltleloom is effected Whenthe hlling in thejrumiing shuttle rceches suhsteib tlal exhaustion, but pr or to complete ere heustion, y y

A ariety of li'eeler mechanisms have been Su 'ested for this 3hr Jose" and in that t 1 3e 13b 7 i l of feeleri mechanism known. as the side sw1pe; where1n the feeler hese detectmg movement 111He*d1reet1on longitudinelly 01f shuttle, the teeler is given a tendency on catch-followingdetecting beet, themeeiis for each detecting heet'to partake of its detecting'niovem'erit under the impulse of some yielding means or insoine cases, by the frontwerd pressure upon the feeler This coustantly-recurring tendency of the tecler to partake ofits hllihg exhaustion detecting wmovernent is II OIIDELULY ITGSIS GQlT i by engage-- merit of the toothed or frictional end of the teelei" With. the filling; so long a Working supply is present iuthe shuttle; but the filling itself is liable to be injured or displaced upon the filling carrier iuthe shuttle under the constantly-remrring tendency of the feeler to partake of detecting function. Qne of the purposes of the presentinven tion isto provide a feeleig mechanism where in the yfeeler will have no tendency to pertake of its detectingjmovemeut untilfthe filling has reached orepproachede degree of substantial exhaustion, whereupon on givingthe feeler its detecting movement eLcts functionally to 1 impart its detecting ten'df Attempts efllojck or some meahs for preventing detecting movelnent of the feeler untll tl'lflfill lllg has approached a degree ofsuhstentiel exheustion, and thereupon to free'the teeler "for An importeiit feature of the present in.- ventlon, therefore, consists of a, feeler Which normally has 110"tende11cy to functionally I detect substantial. exhaustion e13 lillihgywhile stillfree to such movement, ehd means which comes into action toimpert detecting move merit to the teeler only Whenthe filling preaches suhsteiitiel exhaustion. In some aspects ofthe present invention the feele'r may he of different types, but as shown and descriher nthe present iiistenee. the feeler 1s oil" thejside SWlDQ type, normellyl ree to move longitudinally of the shuttle, but in which the moving force hecon'ies active only when the filling approaches substantial exhaustion, v The invention and the ver ous'hovel fee tures and :omhiniticur of parts Will best he made clear from the following description and accompanying dii'aavlh gs oi. one good form of the inveliti L i y y is eview similerto that of Fig; 2, show ng the ectron of the fceler mechanism when the filling; substantially exhausted you :11 detecting heet.

The loohi frehiel of usual CODStfilOtiOn, is

provided with ,tl1e brackets 2 having be n Figure lis a peifspectiyeView of thede 'tGCtlDg side of the loomyshowmg more palfilling is present in the shuttle on ings 3, one at each side of the looimiu which is supportedthe transverse orrock shaft 41;.

'Rising h m; the transverse or rock shaft 4% 1s en ermtyto the upperend of whlchis connected at 6 the actuator or arm (Qt-he reefcend portion 8 of which isede led tohe engaged by an operating); meets ere; moving the operator or erni "7 froiitwerdly when, on ztdetectihg heat, the fillihg is detected by l the :feeler es substantiallyexhausted.

have heretofore been me de to overcorhe these objections and obviate the injurious effect uponthe filling byproviding :The-operetingmeens Q may he convenlently attached to er formed be part of the weft hammer or (Jim follower end iii the preee t iuetence of the iuwgntiolnithe end 8 of the actuator? isnormelly in .iuoperetive position with respect to theopereting meene 9;e11dis moved into operative position when the feeler detects sul'istentielexhaustion oi"- filling.

In the present instance of the invention, the actuator 7 is shown as having a'meniber 10 under which is positioned the arm 11 of a lever pivotally mounted at 12 on a support such as the arm 13 secured to a lug or projection let on the loom frame or shipper stand, the construction being such that the endS of the actuator 7 will normally stand below the engaging portion of the operating means 9 and may be raised into operative position when the end 11 of the lever is turned by the feeler as will more fully appear.

Adjustably mounted on an extension 15 from the shipper stand, is a bracket 16 having a supporting portion 17 for the ieeler stand 18, which may be adjustably secured thereto as by the bolt 19 and slot 20.

The feeler stand 18 is provided with a rocking bearing 21 which may be conveniently formed by a block mounted on an axis 22 supported between a bracket 23 and the feeler stand. The parts so far described may be of any usual construction.

The rear portion of the feeler stand 18 is provided with a bearing 24 in which is mounted the slide 25, capable of lateral movement in the bearing 24, and connected to the lug 26 of the slide 25 is a transmitter 27which is connected to thelcver 11 at 28, the construction being such that the weight of the actuator 7 on the lever 11 normally holds the slide 25 to the right as indicated in Fig.1.

he feeler 29 passes through the slide 25 and also through the elongated slot 30 formed in the bearing 24:, the"construction being such that the feeler 29 and the slide 25 may move laterally or in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle in. the hearing 24. v

Extending frontwardly from the 'ieeler 20 is the stem 31 which passes through an opening 32 in the rocking bearing 21; and surrounding the stem 31 is a spring 33 which normally holds the feeler in its rearward feeling position. In the present instance the spring 33 at its front end bears against the rocking bearing 21, and at its rear end bears against a shoulder or abutment 34 formed on the feeler, a stop 35 acting to define the rearward position of the, teeler. The described construction is a convenient and good practical form of means for supporting the feeler for movement frontward and rearward of the loom, and also in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle, but the advantages of the present invention may be appropriately secured by other forms of construction permitting the described feeler movements.

The lay 36 is or may be of usual construction, and has the shuttle-box 37 which is provided with an opening 38 in its front wall for the entrance oi the l'eelcr on each detecting beat to feel. for the filling in the shuttle then positioned in the detecting box. The shuttle 39, in which is mounted the lilling carrier elll, also has its front wall 'irovided with a slot -11, the construction being such that on at detecting beat the icclcr 29 may pass through the front wall oi the shuttlebox and shuttle and feel. for the filling.

A. iceler displacer is movable with the lay and is preferably mounted thereon to act upon the ieeler and impart a tendency of the feeler to partake of its detecting movement longitudinally of the shuttle only when the filling has been depleted to a predetermined extent. The fccler displaccr in the present instance comprises an arm 12 which is mounted tor reciprocating movements in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle in brackets 43 carried by the lay, and as a preferred form of the feeler displaccr, a spring 4 1 is interposed between the brackets 13, one end of the spring-that to the llg'lltl00il]- ing upon the adjacent bracket 43. and the other end of the spring bearing upon a shoulder 4,53 forn'ied as part of or secured to the displacer 4-2, the construction being such that while the displacer is carried on the lay by the brackets 12 or equivalent means, the spring 44.- norinally holds the displaccr '12 in its projected posit-ion as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. with permissive movement, however, of the displacer 412 in opposition to the spring 44-,

The active end portion of the displacer 4-2 may, in some instances, be provided with a roller illi carried between the bifurcated end portions 4:7 of the displaccr. and preferably the active end portion of: the displaccr or roller 46 is normally positioned opposite or adjacent the openings 38 and l], in the front wall of the shuttle-box and shuttle.

As hereinbefore noted. the present invention contemplates that the fceler shall not injuriously affect the filling when a working supply is present in the shuttle. by the tcndency of the fceler to partake of its detecting movement until the filling has reached a degree of substantial exhaustion. To this end the teeler 29 in the present instance is provided with a projection or cam portion 48 between. the rear end 11-9 of the feeler and the livearing 24 and so positioned with rcspect to the rear end of the feelcr that whcn a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle on a detecting beat. and the 'fceler, therefore, enters the shuttle a less distance than it does when the filling is substantially exhausted. the ieeler displacer will fail to engage with the projection or cam 48 as the displacer is moved frontwardly by the lay. Thus, when a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle on a detecting beat, the feeler has no tendency to partake of its detecting movement, but engages the filling and is moved i i-outwardly byz the filling against the normal tendency of the spring 33 which, in view of the fact that the springs sole purpose is to maintain the teeler in its rearward feeling position,may be relatively light and consequently not cause injury to the filling by the constantly-recurringengagemcnts therewith.

K l Vheir the filling reaches a degree of substantial exhaustion or approaches that condition, the fceler will enter further into the shuttle as the lay moves frontwardly on a detectingbeat, or in other words, the feeler will ineasure the diameter oi? the filling on the filling carrier, and when the filling is nearly enfhausted, the feeler displacer will engagethe projecting o1" cam portion 48 of the ieeler and impart to the feeler a tendency to partake its detecting movement, which in the present instance is longitudinally of the shuttle. i

In case thereai end portion of the feeler has asmooth surface, as may he sometimes preferable owing to the character ot the filling in use the feeler displacer will effect movement of the :leeler longitudinally of the sl'nittle whenthe feeler is permitted to enter the shuttle the predetermii'ied distance, de-

i comes progressively depleted and the teeth of the feeler will hold the feeler from. partaking of its movement longitudinally of the a shuttle until thcshuttle displacer rides well up on the cam 4-8 ofthe feeler, the spring 44L. acting yieldingly upon the displacer to permit the feeler to move the displacer so long as sufiicient filling remains in the shuttie to continue the weaving operation.

In the present instance of the invention,

it therefore, while the feeler is free to partake,

of its side swipe movement even when a Working supply of filling is present in the shuttle, the force tending to impart suchside swipe movement to the feeler remains quiescent or non-active, and comes into action only when the feeler enters the shuttle an unusual amount due to thesubstantial or approach to substantialexhaustion of the fillling. i

What isclaimed is: i

1. In a feeler mechanism forloonis, the combination of a :feeler that enters the shuttie on each detecting beat of the lay to feel the shuttle due to the frontward movement of the lay when the filling is substantially enhausted on a detecting beat, and means actuated bymovement of the feeler induced by the displacer for effecting replenishment of filling. i i

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

, combination of a feeler having a filling exhaustion indicating movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle, a teeler' displacer that is moved by the lay in a direction, longitudinally of the feelerand rel ative thereto and is ineffective to impart filling exhaustion indicating movement to the .teeler until the filling is substantially exhausted, and means for causing replenishment, of filling by displacer-induced movement of the feeler on a detecting beat of the lay. i i i 3; In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a feeler mountedto feel for the filling on each detecting beat of the lay vand fron'twardly displaced the filling until the filling issubstantially exhausted and then displaced to a less extent, a feeler displace]? connected to the lay and normally ineffectual to impart any tendency of the feelerto partakeo'f its filling exhaustion indicating movement until the filling approaches substantial exhaustion and to thereupon become effectual and cause detecting movement of the feeler when the filling is to be changed, and means actuated bydisplacer-induced movement oi the feeler to cause replenishment of filling.

4:.In' a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mounted to feel for the filling in the shuttle, a feeler displacer moved relatively to and along the feeler by ice the lay on a detecting beat, and acting to I impart to the feeler a tendency to partake of its detecting movement when the filling in the shuttle approaches substantial exhaustion on a detecting beat, and means actuated .by displaeer-induced movement of thefeeler for effecting replenishment of filling. a

5. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler that enters the shuttle on a detecting beat and feels for the filling, a feeler displacer mounted on the lay, said feeler and feeler displacer having portions which engage when the feeler en ters the shuttle to a predetermined extent on a detecting beat and by such engagement tend to effect movement of the feeler longi-- tudinally of the shuttle, and means for re plenishing thefilling when the feeler is so moved by the feeler displacer.

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the comblna'tlon of the lay, a feeler mounted independent of the lay for movement to--- wardand from the front of the loom and also in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle, and a feeler displacer mounted on the lay for "imparting to the feeler its fillr ingexhaustion indicating movement longitudinally of the shuttle on a detecting beat only when the teelerenters the shuttle to a predetermined extent and means "for elleeting replenishment of filling when the 'l celer is moved by the displacer;

7. In a teeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler that feels for the filling in the shuttle on at detecting beat, a feeler displacer that is moved trontivardly relative to the lieeler on at detecting heat, said feeler and feeler displacer having portions Which contact with each other on at detecting beat only when the filling approaches substantial exhaustion and by such engagement tend to impart to the feeler its filling exhaustion indicating move ment, and means for causing replenishment of filling When the feeler partakes of its indicating movement.

8. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler that enters the shuttle on each detecting beat to measure the filling Wound on the filling carrier, a feeler displacer mounted on the lay and movable frontwardly thereby alongside the feeler, for engaging a part carried by the feeler due to the relative movement of the feeler and feeler displacer and causing the feeler displacer to impart a tendency to the feeler to indicate substantial exhaustion of filling when the teeler measures an approach to substantial exhaustion.

I 9. In a ileeler mechai'iism l'or looms. the combination of a :teeler mounted on the loom in front of the lay and normally held in its rearward feeling position by a light spring to cause non-injm'ious contact with the filling in the shuttle on detecting beats. a feeler displacer connected to and movable with the lay, and a projection on the feeler that engages the ieeler displacer when the filling has reached a condition of substantial exhaustion to cause filling exhaustion indicating movement of the teeler and cited replenishment of filling.

10. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a side swipe teeler whieh calls for a change of filling by movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle and has teeth which engage the filling on a detecting beat and prevent movement of the ieeler longitudinally of the shuttle until the filling is substantially exhaustmh a feeler displacer movable lirontii'ardly on each detecting beat, said feeler and 'leeler displacer having portions that engage each other only when the filling is nearly exhausted on a detecting beat and by such en gagement tend to impart to the 'lceler its filling exhaustion indicating movement.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ISAAC SNOW. 

